Field kit for detecting analytes

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a field kit for the detection of analytes and to a method for using such a field kit. The field kit comprises a tray and lid adhered to the surface of the tray. Reaction-reagent compartments are formed by recesses in the tray when the tray is adhered to the lid. Probe compartments may also be included if desired. In operation, the tray and lid are bent at a score line to open the wells containing the reaction reagents. The lid is bent to form an A-shaped structure so that the kit may be placed in an upright position for use. A portion of the lid is peeled back from the tray to release probes and other, non-liquid components, if present.

This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07/774,061 filed on Oct.9, 1991 now abandoned.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a field kit for the detection of analytes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Increasing concerns of the pollution of the environment has led to theneed for the general public to be able to test the food and the waterthey drink for the presence of toxins and contaminants. This need isespecially important when the food or the water has not been tested bygovernmental authorities; for example, fish caught by sports fisherman,or water which might be drunk on camping trips. Also, there is often adesire to test food and water when traveling in countries where qualitycontrol of contamination may not be as rigorous as required by theconsumer. Another circumstance where such testing is desired is after adisaster, such as a flood or an earthquake, when contamination of waterand food is common.

Testing methods are available for the detection of analytes, such astoxins and other contaminants. However, these testing methods are oftencomplicated and are not easily conducted by a lay person.

Therefore, there is a need for an easy-to-use field kit to test foranalytes, such as toxins and other contaminants of food. It is alsodesirable that such a field kit be inexpensive and have the ability tobe stored for extended periods of time.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a field kit for detecting analytes andto a method for using such a field kit.

The field kit comprises a tray and a lid adhered to the surface of thetray. Reagent compartments are formed by recesses in the tray when it isadhered to the lid. Other compartments may be added if desired tocontain other assay components as required.

In operation, the lid and tray are bent to open reagent wells and toform an A-shaped stand, structured so that the kit may be placed in afree-standing, upright position for use. Other assay components, ifpresent, are released by peeling back a portion of the lid.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These features and advantages of the invention, as well as otherfeatures and advantages of the invention, will be more apparent from areading of the claims and of the detailed description of the inventionin conjunction with the drawings described below.

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a field kit for the detection ofanalytes; and

FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of an in-use field kit for thedetection of analytes.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to a field kit for the detection ofanalytes and to a method for using the field kit.

FIG. 1 shows a field kit 10. The field kit comprises a lid 12 which ismade from a rigid-but-bendable, non-porous material, such as a laminatedmaterial comprising one or more layers selected from the groupconsisting of plastic, paper, foil and adhesive. It is preferable thatit be coated with a water-resistant material, such as foil or plastic,to prevent liquids contained in the reagent compartments frompenetrating the lid material and evaporating or being contaminated bythe lid material or the environment. The coating material also allows atray 14 to be readily removed without tearing the lid material.

The tray is adhered to the surface of the lid by an adhesive such asthat supplied by Rolling Packaging Products, Inc. (Catalog No. 26-1045).The tray is preferably made from transparent plastic or other suitablematerial so that the contents of the kit can be observed while the kitis in use. The tray is molded to contain a plurality of recesses sothat, when the tray is adhered to the lid, a plurality of individualcompartments are formed between the lid and the tray. The surface of thetray, between the recesses, is adhered to the surface of the lid to formindividual, sealed compartments.

In one embodiment of the present invention, recesses 16, located on anupper half of the lid 18, form compartments for holding probes 20, i.e.,the probe compartments. The probes are used for dipping into thematerial to be tested, to bind the analyte being assayed. In some cases,e.g., where water is being tested, such probes may not be required, andthe material being tested can be transferred directly to the assayreagents. In such cases where a liquid is being transferred, it isdesirable to include a dropper in a compartment in the kit.

Probes typically comprise positive and negative control probes and testprobes. The positive control probes are probes that have been exposed tothe analyte to be tested, or to an analog of the analyte, so that, whenthe probe is reacted with the reaction reagents, a positive result willbe obtained. Negative control probes are probes that have not beenexposed to the analyte to be tested, or to an analog of the analyte, sothat, when they are reacted with the reaction reagents, a negativeresult will be obtained. Test probes are probes that are to be exposedto a potential source of an analyte such as water or food. The testprobes, after reacting with the reaction reagents, are compared with thenegative and positive controls to determine if a positive or a negativeresult has been obtained and, therefore, if the food or water iscontaminated with the analyte being tested.

In the case of water, other liquids, or other tests where a probe is notused, positive and negative controls may be provided in the kit as aliquid or in another suitable form in separate compartments. Thesecompartments are opened and added to reaction-reagent compartments atthe time of assaying a test sample. Alternatively,. where the reactionproducts are sufficiently stable, it may be desirable to provide in thekit prereacted positive and negative controls in separate compartments.

An additional recess 22, a blotter compartment, may be located on theupper half of the tray for holding blotting material, such as papertoweling or other suitable material.

Recesses located on the lower half of the tray 24 form sealedcompartments for holding and isolating reaction reagents. In oneembodiment, where fixation of the analyte to the probe is required, onecompartment 26 (the fixative compartment or well) contains a fixativereagent. Where washing of the probes is required, after they have beenreacted with the reaction reagents, there is provided anothercompartment 28 (the wash compartment or well), which contains a washsolution. Other compartments 30 (reagent compartments or wells) eachcontain reaction reagents. The reaction reagents may be in the form of asolution or may be dried or lyophilized and reconstituted, prior to use.In the case where the reaction reagents are to be reconstituted, thereconstitution solution is also provided in a well in the field kit.Where such transfer of a liquid is desirable, a means for transferringthe liquid, such as a dropper, may be provided in a separatecompartment.

The reagent wells are parallel to each other, and each runs from thelower edge 32 of the tray to positions 36, located about midway betweenthe lower edge 32 and the upper edge 38 of the lid, and extending fromthe lower edge to beyond score line 42.

Also molded into the tray, at an edge of the upper half of the lid, is arecess. This recess is open at the edge and provides a tab 40, or meansof grasping the tray, so that the upper half of the tray can be peeledback from the lid to release the probes and the blotter from theircompartments. The score line 42 is located on the lid and tray and isperpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the reaction-reagentcompartments on the lower half of the tray. The score is located sothat, when the tray and lid are bent at the score line, thereaction-reagent wells, or wells containing other liquid components, areopen at their upper end 36.

The lid also has a score line at the same location as the score line ofthe tray. The score line on the lid allows the lid to be bent,approximately in half, to form an A-shaped structure, so that the kitwill stand upright in use, with edges 32 and 38 resting on a flatsurface and score line 42 forming the apex of the "A", as shown in FIG.2.

In order for one to use the field kit, the kit is held in an uprightposition so that the liquids, or dried powders, in wells 24, 26, and 30fall to the bottom of the wells, located near edge 32. The kit may betapped against a solid surface to ensure all the contents of the wellsare at the bottom of the wells. The kit is then opened by grasping tab40 and peeling the top half of the lid 18 from the tray. Peeling awaythe upper half of the lid allows for the removal of the probes and theblotter from their compartments. The lid and tray are then bent at thescore line 42, to open the reaction-reagent compartments and to form anA-shaped structure, which can be placed on a surface, to stand on edges32 and 38, with the score line forming the apex of the "A", and whichresults in the reagent-containing wells being placed in an uprightposition.

The above descriptions of exemplary embodiments of a kit for detectinganalytes and of a method for using such a kit, are for illustrativepurposes. Because of variations which will be apparent to those skilledin the art, the present invention is not intended to be limited to theparticular embodiments described above. The present invention may alsobe practiced in the absence of any element not specifically disclosed.The scope of the invention is defined by the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A field kit for the detection of an analytecomprising:a lid; a tray adhered to the top surface of said lid, saidtray comprising (a) means releaseably containing probes and (b) meansseparately containing a plurality of reaction reagents, said meansseparately containing said plurality of reaction reagents being separatefrom said means containing probes; and a score-line located in thesurface of said tray enabling bending of said tray such that the kitwill stand upright when in use; wherein said score-line passes throughsaid reagent containing means such that the reagent containing means isopened when said tray is bent along said score line; and wherein one ormore of said probes is receivable within said reagent containing meanswhen the reagent containing means is opened.
 2. The field kit recited inclaim 1 wherein said means containing probes comprises one or morerecesses that forms one or more probe compartments between said lid andsaid tray.
 3. The field kit recited in claim 2 wherein at least one ofsaid probe compartments is sealed to prevent contamination fromentering.
 4. The field kit recited in claim 2 wherein said lid comprisesa first portion and a second portion, said first portion being adheredto said top surface of said tray and being peelably removable from saidtray so as to expose the probes contained therein.
 5. The field kitrecited in claim 1 wherein said means separately containing a pluralityof reaction reagents comprises a plurality of recesses that forms aplurality of reaction reagent compartments between said lid and saidtray.
 6. The field kit recited in claim 5 wherein said reaction reagentcompartments are comprised of material that is impervious to thereaction reagents contained therein.
 7. The field kit recited in claim 5wherein said reaction reagent compartments are sealed to preventevaporation of the reaction reagents contained therein.
 8. The field kitrecited in claim 5 wherein said score-line passes through one or more ofsaid reaction reagent compartments so that when said tray is bent alongsaid score-line one or more of said reaction reagent compartments isopened.
 9. The field kit recited in claim 5 wherein said reactionreagent compartments contain at least some liquid reaction reagent. 10.The field kit recited in claim 5 wherein said reaction reagentcompartments contain at least some solid reaction reagent.
 11. The fieldkit recited in claim 1 wherein said tray is comprised of a transparentand moldable material.
 12. The field kit recited in claim 1 wherein saidtray further comprises a means for grasping said tray in order to peel aportion of said lid from said tray.
 13. The field kit recited in claim11 further comprising means for containing blotters, wherein said meansfor containing blotters is separate from said for separately containinga plurality of reaction reagents.
 14. The field kit recited in claim 11wherein said lid comprises a first portion and second portion adhered tosaid tray, said first portion overlies said means containing probes andis peelably removable from said tray so as to expose the probescontained in said means containing probes.
 15. A field kit for thedetection of an analyte comprising:a lid having a first portion and asecond portion; a tray adhered to said first portion and said secondportion of said lid; a probe compartment positioned between said lid andsaid tray; a plurality of probes releasably contained within said probecompartment; a plurality of distinct reaction reagent compartmentscontaining reaction reagents and positioned between said lid and saidtray and separated from said probe compartment; a score-line located insaid tray such that when said tray is bent along said scoreline at leastone of said reaction reagent compartments is opened wherein one or moreof said probes is receivable within one of said reagent compartmentswhen the reagent compartments are opened.
 16. The field kit recited inclaim 5 wherein said means containing probes comprises one or morerecesses that forms one or more probe compartments between said lid andsaid tray.
 17. The field kit recited in claim 6 wherein said meanscontaining probes comprises one or more recesses that forms one or moreprobe compartments between said lid and said tray.
 18. The field kitrecited in claim 7 wherein said means containing probes comprises one ormore recesses that forms one or more probe compartments between said lidand said tray.
 19. The field kit recited in claim 8 wherein said meanscontaining probes comprises one or more recesses that forms one or moreprobe compartments between said lid and said tray.
 20. The field kitrecited in claim 9 wherein said means containing probes comprises one ormore recesses that forms one or more probe compartments between said lidand said tray.
 21. The field kit recited in claim 10 wherein said meanscontaining probes comprises one or more recesses that forms one or moreprobe compartments between said lid and said tray.
 22. The field kitrecited in claim 15 further comprising a blotter compartment positionedbetween said lid and said tray and separate from said plurality ofdistinct reaction reagent compartments.
 23. The field kit recited inclaim 15 wherein said reaction reagent compartments are formed ofmaterial that is impervious to the reaction reagent that it contains.24. The field kit recited in claim 23 wherein said tray is formed ofmaterial that is moldable.
 25. The field kit recited in claim 15 whereinsaid tray is formed of material that is transparent.
 26. The field kitrecited in claim 15 wherein said field kit further comprises a tab topermit selective separation of said first portion of said lid from saidtray.